Spoornet sets bold objectives

ED RICHARDSON
SPOORNET IS planning to increase from 20-40% its share of container traffic carried from East London inland by 2010, CEO Siyabonga Gama told delegates at the Eastern Cape transport summit held in East London recently. Investment in Eastern Cape rail corridors is a “strategic imperative for South Africa, said Gama, and Spoornet was targeting growth in rail’s share of both the container and bulk markets on the inland routes. At present, Port Elizabeth harbour volumes will remain relatively static, going from 60 to 70% in the same period. Growth from the Nelson Mandela metro will be generated by the port of Ngqura. Spoornet is targeting 60% of the inland container traffic to and from Ngqura by 2020. Bulk transport, by its nature, is largely confined to rail. Here the Eastern Cape can expect exponential growth in volumes if Spoornet succeeds in reviving plans dating back to the 1970’s for a rail link between Sishen and Ngqura. Gama said Spoornet sees a growth in agricultural traffic by rail between East London and Gauteng in particular, while manufacturing will drive Port Elizabeth – Gauteng traffic. Spoornet will also be undertaking a study of dormant branch lines in the Eastern Cape to establish which would be economical to revive.